Gear wheel



D. WIGLEY GEAR- WHEEL Filed Oct. 24, 1923 5] vwewto'o 2. hey/g attoziwlg Patented Dec. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES DAN WIGLEY, OF BINGKAMTON, NEW YORK.

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' Application flledObtober 24, 1928. Serial No. 870,487.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAN WIGLEY a citizen of the United States, residin at liiinghamton, State of New York, ave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gear Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gear construction and provides a novel gear of separate and adjustable parts so combined as to permit their relative adjustment whereby a broken tooth of the gear may be replaced in a convenient and adequate manner.

Specifically, the invention provides a series of laterally disposed tooth-bearin members adapted to either constitute o themselves the complete gear wheel or arranged to be mounted about the rim of the wheel body; means being provided for looking the members in place so as to permit of their relative adjustment.

Various other objects and advantages of the device may be apparent from the following description, read in connection with the accompanyin drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the assembled wheel, the later 'being shown mounted on a shaft.

Figure 2 is a vertical central section through the gear body.

Figure 3 is a section along line 3-3 of Figure 4. Figure 4 is an end elevation of the assembled gear.

Figure 5 is a transverse central vertical section of a bevel gear showing the invention applied thereto, and

Figure 6 is a sectional view showing another variation of the invention.

Describing the invention in detail, 10 designates a shaft upon which the gear is adapted to be mounted. In the present invention, the gear is made up of three or as many more parts as may be desired. When constructed of only three parts or members the inner member 11 is providedwith a plurality of keyways 12, one of which is adapted to receive gart of key 13 which also engages in a suitab e keyway in shaft 10.

Arranged on opposite sides of the central member 11 are the outer members 14.- and 15, respectively. These outer members are each provided with a single keyway, as shown at 16 and 17 respectivel and are bolted or otherwise fastened to t e central member by at least two diametrically opposite pins, bolts, rivets, or other fasteners .8, passing through aligned openings 19 extending transversely through the body of the gear members. In the referred constuction the two outer mem ers are preferably provided with but a pair of such openings 19 While the central member has a outer members 14 and 15.. Each member is,

moreover, provided with a suitable number of tooth portions, as shown at 20, 21, and 22, the tooth portions 21 of the central gear member being centered between correspondmg gear gear mem ers. the tooth portions of each member constitute a one-third part of each and every tooth provided on the gear.

Should the gear be stripped of one or more .of its teeth at any time the value of the gear will not, as is the case with present type of gears, be totally lost nor its usefulness be entirely impaired. Figures 3.

and 4 illustrate the manner in which the various gear members are adjusted to 0&- set the disadvantages usually incident to the breakin or stripping of one or more gear teeth. lEach of the gear members are illustrated as being minus a tooth portion, as will be understood from the spaces left at 23, 24, and 25. Assuming that the tooth normally occupying the space has become "ortions 20 and 22 of the outer It will thus be seen that broken, the matter can be at once remedied by loosening fasteners 18 after removing the gear from shaft 10, and the central member 11 revolved until one of its gear portions 21 is positioned between the tooth spaces 23 and 25 of the outer members 14; and 15. At the same time the blank tooth space 24 of the central member comes into position between certain tooth portions 20 and 22 of the outer gear members. Consequently, instead of the tooth spaces being totally blank they. are now relatively positioned so as to be provided with at least one-third part of a tooth which is sufiicient to insure a firm mesh with an associate gear. This adjustability of the various gear plates 11, 14, and 15 enables the teeth to be re-ar-.

ranged in a quick and convenient manner, thus eliminating lon delay in the event of gear trouble and ot erwise providing for the efiicient and expeditious repairing of a broken gear.

In Figure is illustrated the construction of a beveled gear to which the invention is a plied. In this instance the largest ear p ate 26 isprovided, with an extended iub portion 27 upon which the remaininggear plates 28 and 29 are mounted, as shown. The arrangement of the teeth of the various members are the same as explained above. Members 28 and 29 are locked about the hub 27 by means of a shaft'key 30 which engages in a suitable groove in the sleeve and in suitable keyways in the members 28 and 29. Member 29 is preferably provided with a plurality of keyways, each of which is adapted to be brought into alignment with a single keyway in member 28, when the members are free to be relativelyadjusted. The members of the beveled gear are tightened, one against the other, and

held firmly in place by means of a lock nut 31 which engages to secure threads on the,

outer end of sleeve 27. The assembled gear is lockedto the shaft by means of a key or spline 32, as shown. In the modification disclosed in Figure 6 the gear is constructed of a main body portion 33 which is adapted to be keyed to shaft 10 in the manner illustrated. The gear body 33 is provided along one edge with an outstandin flange 34 to which the tooth-bearing mem ers 35, 36, and 37 are bolted by means of bolts 38. The members are further secured to the body 33by means of one or more keys 39 engaged in suitable keyways in the body and in the various members, as will be understood. It will be' observed that member is shouldered to engage over the flange 34 so that the teeth formed by the combined tooth portions of the associated gear members will extend for the full width of the gear.

The gear wheels, as above described, can be made with any number of teeth desired of the more or less parts gearing to the purpose for'which intended. The wheels can also be adapted, within the scope of the invention, for either square or round shafts, or any other type of shaft required.

Having thus described the invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A gear wheel comprising a plurality of tooth-bearing members, one of which is provided with a plurality of keyways and a series of openings concentric with the axis of the members and the remaining members being respectively provided with a single keyway and a pair of openings adapted to be brought. into register with selected keyways and openings of the first mentioned member.

2. A gear wheel comprisin three or more tooth-bearing gear members disposed side by side for relative adjustment about a common axis, said members having corresponding sets of tooth formthe teeth of t e gear and being relatively adjustable so that a broken tooth portion of one member may be moved opposite an unimpaired tooth portion of an ad acent member whereby the broken tooth portion maybe partially replaced, and means for fastening the said members together 'in their adjusted position.

3. A gear wheel comprising three or more gear members mounted for adjustment about a common axis, each of said gear ortions cooperating to members being provided with a corresponding number of tooth portions and all of said members being normally arranged with the tooth portions of one in alignment with corresponding tooth ortions of the other members, and remova le means for fastening the said adjustable gear. members against relative movement, said means being removable to permit one. of the said members to be adjusted relative to the others so that, in the event of one or more teeth being broken or stripped from the wheel, unimpaired tooth portions of one member may be positioned in alignment with the impaired tooth portion of an adjacent member so as to part1 replace the broken tooth. In testimony w ereof I afiix my signature.

DAN WIGLEY. 

